He slightly winced. “If not now, then never, right?”
Eden nodded. “Why did your marriage end?”
That’s it? That’s what she wants to ask?“Because we weren’t compatible. It’s why most marriages end.”
“Surely, there was an inciting incident.”
Another sigh threatened Benson’s evening. “Sydney and I got married too young. We were still getting to know each other, and I was still getting to know myself. Had she not gotten pregnantwith our daughter, I doubt we would have lasted another year or two.”
“Did she… did you two…?”
“Eden,” he said. “Don’t be shy. Just say what you’re thinking.”
She inhaled deeply, as if she drew all the confidence she needed just from that. “Did you two share that kink?”
“No.”
“I see…”
Great.Time to have this awkward discussion with his new girlfriend. How much could he divulge without going too far? How much could he reveal abouthimself,especially that one thing that drove a wedge between himself and more than one love?
“I learned a lot about myself while we were married,” he said. “To her credit, my ex-wife tried. She tried to understand my attraction to sharing her with other men, but in the end, it just wasn’t for her. Even when I thought she was having a good time, she later told me that she wasn’t. It made us both feel guilty. Add on other issues we were having, and it was clear that we just weren’t meant for each other. Despite us both trying to make it work for our daughter. Honestly, that was probably the only reason she went along with my fantasies.”
“Didn’t she have any of her own?”
“My ex-wife is very… vanilla. It’s not that she doesn’t have an imagination in the bedroom. She just doesn’t care about doing anything beyond the fundamentals.”I’m guessing.For all Benson knew, Sydney had turned into a certified freak as soon as they were divorced.None of my business now.“I was the one bringing up most of the ideas, and I think she felt compelled to make them happen because she was afraid of displeasing me. Instead, it just showed the rift between us. That and when I…”
He stopped, hoping that Eden wouldn’t notice him faltering.
“What?”
“Nothing. We just weren’t compatible. It became more apparent as the years went by and we grew older. Staying together for the sake of our daughter wasn’t worth it. We both agreed that it was best for Drew to see her parents happy with other people than semi-miserable with each other.”
“I see…”
“Sorry if that’s not juicy.”
It took Eden a moment to realize that was sarcastic. “So, long-term, you’re looking for a woman who shares most of the same fantasies as you.”
“More or less. Wouldn’t that make sense to you?”
“It does make sense.”
She bit her lip in thought. Benson couldn’t help but ask, “What now?”
“Just thinking that it makes even more sense for you two to meet.”
As Benson had said, he’d have to think about it. Right now, all he cared about was going to bed with his girlfriend, where they would be quite vanilla with him on top of her and her begging for more.Always begging for more.
He put thoughts of what she said out of his head. All the way to Saturday night, when he and Eden parted ways so she could have some time to herself before her date with the other guy on Sunday. Another thing he wouldn’t think about.
The guy I shared her with on the island…The odds. What were the damn odds?
Did he want to watch them together? Of course. Did he want to join in?Of course.Did he fuck Eden while thinking of how he would show off to this mysterious other man? Mark her as his right in front of him? Claim her ass right in front of him? Make her swallow his cock right in front of him?Damn straight.Probably right after the other guy did all of that first.
Benson was at least honest with himself. Something Sydney couldn’t stand.
The more he thought about therealreason his marriage ended – the catalyst that divided his daughter’s home – the more he thought about other people.